Faucet



July 30, 1929. TODD 1,722,401

FAUCET Filed Sept 24, 1928 Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES THOMAS STEPHEN TODD, OF GASTONIA, NORTH CAROLINA.

FAUGET.

Application filed September 24, 1928. Serial No. 308,076.

The object of the invention is to provide simple means whereby in asingle faucet is combined a self-closing faucet as well as a stay-openfaucet, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing annexed Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a faucetconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4; and 5 are diagrams showing the operation of the cam-groovesin the balls.

Referring to the drawing annexed by reference-characters, 1O designatesthe usual valve carried at the lower end of a vertically-movablevalve-stem 11 working up through the usual stuffing-box in the usualplug 12 in the top of the faucet, a coil-spring 1-3 of the usual typebeing employed to normally force the valve downwardly to its seat.

Mounted on top of the plug is a cap 14: provided with the usual radialhandle-members 15, this cap being closed at its upper side by the usualscrew-cover 16. Within the cavity formed under the cover 16 is a pair oflocknuts 17 screwed onto the upper end of the vertically-slidable stem11, these nuts being locked together by a ring 18, said ring and nutsresting on a washer 19 which in turn rests upon the upper side of thecap 14.

Interposed between the under surface of the cap 14: and the uppersurface of the plug 12 is a pair of balls 20 which work in camgrooves insaid surfaces, the grooves being so shaped as to permit the cap 14c tobe rotated in either direction-i. e., either clockwise oranti-clockwise. The cam-grooves are so shaped that, when the cap isrotated clockwise to thus open the valve, the cap, when released fromthe hand of the operator, will return to its normal position and thusclose the valve, and, when the cap 14 is rotated anti-clockwise, the capwill stay in the position to which it is rotated and thus hold the valveopen until it is normally closed. The shape of the cam-grooves is shownin diagram in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In Fig. 3, the parts are shown innormal, closed position; in Fig. 4, the parts are shown as they appearin a selfclosing movement of the cap; and in Fig. 5, the parts are shownin the position they assume when the cap is rotated in the stay-opendirection.

To accomplish this purpose, it will be observed that'each cam-groove isinclined be yond the angle of repose at one side of each ball, this partbeing designated 21, and that at the other side of the ball eachcam-groove 1 is inclined at an angle less than the angle of repose, thispart being designated by the numeral 22. It will be observed also thatthe two abrupt or steep parts 21 associated with each ball are arrangedat opposite sides of the ball and likewise with respect to thegradually-inclined surfaces 22. With cams constructed and arranged inthis manner, it will be observed that, when the handle of the faucet isturned in the normal direction, namely, clockwise, the balls will workon the steep parts 21 of the cam-grooves, so that, when the handle isreleased, the spring will quickly return the parts to normal, closedposition; but, when the handle is turned in the opposite directioni. e.,anti-clockwise-, as shown in Fig. 5, the balls will run up the longslopes 22 and that, therefore, the valve will remain open, these slopesbeing, as stated, less than the angle of repose, so that a straightdownward pull of the spring will not be sufficient to cause the balls toroll back automatically into the deeper parts of the grooves.

What I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a faucet having a spring-actuatedvertically-movable valvestem, of a valve-operating element adapted torotate in either direction from normal closed position, and cam androller means so constructed that when said element is rotated in onedirection the spring will automatically close the valve when the elementis released and the element will stay in valve opening position whenrotated in the opposite direction.

2. The combination with a faucet having a sprin -actuated valve-stemworking through a top plug,'a manually-operable capmember engaging theupper end of said valve-stern, and means between said capmember and saidplug for raising said valvestem to open position when said cap isrotated in either direction, said means embodying two balls and a pairof cam-grooves associated with each ball, these grooves being oppositeand reversed with respect to each other and each having one end-portioninclined beyond the angle of repose and the other end-portion inclinedat less than the angle of repose, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

THOMAS STEPHEN TODD.

